


Behind the Lens

by Yoshishisha, zhyn



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Photographer, Derek is a Failwolf, Derek is full of it, Derek-centric, Fluff, Keeping in mind that I know nothing about photography, M/M, Parkour, Photography, Pole Dancing, Social Anxiety, and more poledancing, but hey, except not actually a wolf, less parkour than originally planned, so sorry for any inaccuracies, that one is all Stiles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 13:33:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11105598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yoshishisha/pseuds/Yoshishisha, https://archiveofourown.org/users/zhyn/pseuds/zhyn
Summary: "This had been a terrible terrible idea, and Derek would never listen to a single word from his therapist ever again."When Derek's therapist suggest he should engage in social activities in order to meet new people, Derek didn't expect his road to cross the path of Stiles Stilinski, freerunner and pole dancer extraordinaire. Gradually, he begins to stop hiding behind his camera lens and learns to better appreciate the people that surround him.





	1. Assignment and Dread

**Author's Note:**

  * For [zhyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zhyn/gifts).
  * A translation of [Art for Behind the Lens](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11108220) by [Yoshishisha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yoshishisha/pseuds/Yoshishisha), [zhyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zhyn/pseuds/zhyn). 



> For the Sterek ReverseBang 2017
> 
> I was assigned to work with the fantastic @5inbinary, which is really just fantastic, because I fell in love with their concept instantly. I hope I did it justice!

Derek was painfully aware of the fact that he was antisocial. He didn’t even need other people to comment on it; it was obvious with every single one of his activities.

Photography was the one that figured at the top of his list. It was his passion, and he’d somehow been lucky enough to make it his main source of income as well. The activity hadn’t always been as soothing to him as it currently was, of course. It had started as a way to ensure he wouldn’t have any lost memories after his home burned with his family inside, taking away in one fell swoop all of his memories of the place along with most of his relatives. Photography back then had been a desperate denial, and a way to convince his grieving mind that such a tragedy would never occur again.

Over time, the art had shifted from a healing endeavour to a relaxing one. Derek didn’t go anywhere without his trusty camera anymore, and could more often than not be found in the forest where he laid for hours as he captured the daily life of its various inhabitants. Such activities didn’t lend themselves to much of a social life, but Derek loved it and didn’t feel as though he was missing out on anything.

His main source of socialisation had come to him a few years back in the form of a gaggle of teenagers however. “The Pack” as they liked to call themselves – “We’ll stop calling ourselves that when you quit being a brooding lone wolf, Hale,” Erica had griped – were his only source of human company, and even his therapist was beginning to look worried (that was a lie; she never looked worried, but Derek simply guessed she had the most powerful poker face ever).

“Did you meet anyone new recently, Derek?” Dr. Mustafina asked, prompting Derek to come out of his musings.

“The Pack showed up last week,” he answered evasively. He was sure she’d caught the underlying truth of his word: as usual, he hadn’t met anyone new, avoiding any sort of prolonged contact after the few fizzling acquaintances he’d made in the years prior.

“And when was the last time you met someone outside of the Pack,” she said kindly, a smile growing at the corner of her lips, probably due to what the now university students were still calling themselves.  After 6 years of friendship, Derek really thought they would end up finding a better nickname for themselves, but it seemed they were too attached to the name.

Derek eventually realised he’d let the silence last too long, but still didn’t answer, and both of them knew why: Derek didn’t willingly interact with people, and even the Pack he only interacted with because they didn’t let him avoid them.

In the end, he came out of that séance with a task: enroll in a social activity of some kind with the goal to form at least a peripheral acquaintance.

“It doesn’t have to be a meeting group of some kind, or even one that requires conversation. You can take a class on a subject you enjoy, for instance,” Doctor Mustafina had said. She seemed confident in Derek’s capacity to get out of his shell. Derek didn’t know where she found that belief.

Derek didn’t take the wheel right away after leaving Doctor Mustafina’s office. Instead, he walked to the nearby park, taking his camera out of his bag in a motion that had become automatic in the last few years. Breathing out slowly, he settled on the grass next to the pond and set up his camera, taking pictures of the ducks playing peacefully inside it. Maybe he’d listen to his therapist’s advice. After all, she hadn’t led him astray so far.

* * *

 

This had been a terrible terrible idea, and Derek would never listen to a single word from his therapist ever again. Taking a class? What had he been thinking, really? Derek had to admit to not having looked very far as far as socialising went. He mostly worked as a freelance photographer and thus didn’t really need to talk to people in his line of work. Most people who contracted his services only talked to him long enough to ensure he understood their instructions, and he otherwise sent digital files when the time came for them to select their pictures.

This wasn’t what he’d expected. At all. And he was currently bound to complete what was sure to be a failure of epic proportions.

“You’ve all received your grade for your first project by now, which means that it’s time for me to present the second one to you,” Onika had said. Derek had attempted to call her Ms. Ekongolo exactly once, and she’d seemed so _uncomfortable_ due to the honorific that he’d respected her request to be called by her first name soon enough.

“Studying your portfolios and correcting the previous project has enabled me to notice where your zone of comfort as well of your strength lies, and my current goal is to make you explore outside of it,” she’d continued. “I’ve already handed out your personalised projects, which should present a challenge and yet, not be outside your range of capabilities.”

Derek had tuned her out as he’d looked at the deceptively innocuous piece of paper on his desk. **_Human after all_** , the words had taunted him. He hadn’t even needed to read the rest of the handout to know what his challenge would be. He did anyways, because life had taught him that running away from his fears would only ensure they could stab him in the back once he stopped looking. It wasn’t as bad as he’d thought it would be… It was worse.

His objectives were outlined in bold, and one in particular jumped at him: to find himself a human muse. He reread the prompt bemusedly once or twice, but he’d indeed read right. The words “human muse” were explicitly written, and Derek knew it had to be because 90% of the pictures in his portfolio portrayed animals in various states of motions.

Still, he couldn’t quite believe it. Find himself a muse? And a human one at that? Derek was going to fail. He was going to make a fool of himself, and take terrible pictures, and-

“That’s a wonderful idea, Derek! You’ll get to meet new people!”

Derek stared at Erica with the flattest expression he could muster. It did nothing to deter the young woman, as she simply smiled at him, like she didn’t know this was the exact situation he had been hoping to avoid.”This is not the issue here, and you know it,” he gritted out, looking to the side and away from her too sharp grin as the door to his loft swung open again.

“What is not the issue?” came Isaac’s voice as he entered. “And Derek, there’s dubious goop on your welcoming mat; you might want to check that out.”

“Derek’s got to meet new people for class!” Erica called back, and Derek resolutely did not glare at the ground, unable to focus his ire.

“That’s awesome dude!” Isaac’s face came into focus just long enough for him to start rummaging through the fridge. “Your hermit ways were starting to worry us; I’m pretty sure Lydia was gonna stage an intervention,” he added unhelpfully.

Derek didn’t need to look up in order to feel Erica’s smug gaze on him. Clearly he wasn’t going to find any help in this place.

Rolling his eyes, he headed to the kitchen in order to cook for dinner that night… After all, if Erica and Isaac were already here, others were sure to follow.


	2. Inspiration and Infatuation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Derek meets a free running stranger, then is forced out of his lair by his benevolent Pack to meet Stiles Stilinski. It is definitely not love at first sight.

“Boyd, please,” Derek was begging about a week later. “You know I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t have any options. You’re not a fan of having your picture taken, and I get that, but I have so many ideas that would only work with you, and the teacher said the pictures probably wouldn’t even be presented at the end of semester exposition, so we could keep it between just the two of us, and my class.”

He hated this. Derek was being reduced to lying out of his ass in that last part, as the teacher had actually said that she would do her best to see to it that their work received the recognition they were due, with a worrying gleam eerily reminiscent of his pack members in her eye. He was at the end of his rope however, and surely Boyd would understand him?

“You know I wouldn’t even if I wanted to,” Boyd answered with a somewhat apologetic tone of voice, his soothing tones already calming Derek down despite the negative answer. “Besides, Erica promised to withhold cuddles if I went against her plan on getting you to socialise,” he added, which immediately dashed Derek’s mood.

“That little – ugh,” he groaned. Of course Erica had taken the necessary measures to ensure he’d have to choose someone new. Why, she’d probably even enlisted Lydia’s help to make sure she forgot no one in her vendetta against Derek. “I could cuddle you just as well, that’s no reason to refuse,” he grumbled. He knew when he was defeated however, and Boyd’s pointed silence only confirmed it. “Thanks regardless,” he said, defeated as he absently ran a hand through his hair.

“It’ll be fine, Derek,” Boyd reassured him. “Erica said she’d help you find someone.”

These words did nothing to calm Derek down, as Erica’s idea more often than not ended up badly for him.

He put the phone back into his pocket, holding the comforting weight of his camera in his hands to calm himself. Taking pictures of people would have been easy: after all, he had two contracts already scheduled for the next month. Finding a muse however… Impossible. He could potentially ask one of his contracts if they’d be free to take more pictures, and perhaps mention that all the ones he took then would be free, but… His skin prickled just at the idea, so it was out of question.

His footsteps eventually led him to one of his favoured haunts, which was in a more abandoned area of town. It had originally been host to a plethora of businesses and restaurants, but the area had been closed down due to the building of a children’s park. As the project was still pending municipal approval, the place had mostly been overtaken by a population of stray animals, which was mostly why Derek spent so much time in it.

Camera in hand, Derek turned his head around, and heaved a disappointed sigh when he didn’t notice any of his usual subjects running about. _‘One less distraction, I guess,’_ he mused forlornly. It wasn’t that he wanted to avoid his current assignment, but every time he thought about asking someone outside the Pack – even one of his classmates – the grip of social anxiety seized him anew and his expression either shifted into something ridiculous, or terrifying, if he was to judge from other’s reactions.

“Might as well do something, instead of letting the whole day go to waste,” he encouraged himself aloud. He couldn’t let such a simple setback send his mood spiraling down again, so he shook himself, aimed his camera at the sky, and adjusted the settings to try and get a good angle from to capture the play of light and shadows amongst the top of the buildings that surrounded him. He aimed the camera, pressed his finger, and –

An unexpected shape suddenly crossed his field of view, almost making him stumble back in surprise. He bemusedly lowered his camera, but the shape had disappeared over a nearby wall. Never one to let a mystery go unsolved, Derek looked at the picture he’d just taken and there it was. Blurry, but recognisable, there was the silhouette of an actual person jumping overhead to land on a ledge on the _roof of a building_.

Derek knew, objectively, that extreme sports existed. He knew that some people like to put themselves in danger on a regular basis, test their limits and surpass them. He knew all that but –  That abstract knowledge had in no way prepared him for the sight of an actual human being taking a running leap between two buildings at least fifteen feet over his head with seemingly effortless ease. It was breathtaking, and Derek’s eyes were still fixed on the point where the other had disappeared when a face reappeared over the ledge, an impish grin painted on its features.

This time, Derek recognised the invitation for what it was and adjusted his camera’s features accordingly to allow for a much lower time of exposure. When the stranger jumped again, the picture was crisp and clear, and Derek felt an answering grin rise on his face as he followed the other person through their dangerous route over the rooftop.

Perhaps photographing people wasn’t that excruciating when they moved like his forest-bound creatures.

* * *

 

It didn’t take more than a week after that encounter for the entire Pack to tease him about his apparent crush on the mysterious stranger. “Derek, if I have to hear once again about how ‘exhilarating’ you found running after a stranger like a creep in an abandoned part of town, I will consider it as you volunteering to proofread my 95-pages long Law and Ethics essay,” Lydia threatened lowly when he found himself recounting the story for what he was sure was only the second time.

Ignoring Scott’s whimper from the corner of his loft (“Last time it was only 25 pages and I nearly died!”), Derek turned towards Boyd for confirmation. “Ninth time,” the other man mouthed, raising his fingers for further clarity. Derek winced at the number: considering that Boyd had only come back to town four days prior, he must have talked about the parkour artist more than expected.

A loud noise called his attention back to where the girls were studying, and Derek noticed that Erica had obviously gotten tired of studying with Lydia and stood up. “That’s it!” she growled out, only settling down under one of Lydia’s asinine glares. “While it’s awesome to see you be enthusiastic about people for once, this asshole clearly doesn’t deserve your attention if he’s left you high and dry,” she argued.

“We don’t even know if they’re –“ Derek was cut off before he could finish.

“Of course it’s a guy,” Erica retorted. “No other gender can be this careless, annoying, and inconsiderate by accident, Derek. He was literally flirting with you and then left without a word.”

Derek rolled his eyes. Surely a little bit of chasing through abandoned building, and increasingly complicated jumps couldn’t be considered flirting?

As though she could see his doubt, Erica bulldozed on. “There are a bunch of street shows for some event I don’t know about. Tomorrow, you are coming with us, and you’ll take even more beautiful pictures, and we’ll get this guy out of your head. No arguments.”

* * *

 

Much as he was reluctant to give Erica the slightest credit, considering how much pleasure she derived from his misery, he had to admit that this was a great idea.  He had his camera in hands, taking pictures idly as he watched the street artists perform. For once, he could see what his teacher had meant when she’d said taking pictures of people did not have to be overly technical and soulless.

He didn’t quite enjoy the noise and movement of the festival – nor did he enjoy being pushed on all sides – but it was well worth for all the pictures he would be sure to take.

“Derek, there’s something just starting here,” Allison called out to him, right as he was about to move on to the next attraction. Hearing the note of excitement in her voice, he moved closer, wondering what exactly had attracted her attention.

People were beginning to approach, but Derek managed to settle in between Allison and Scott, which ensured that he wouldn’t be pushed around by the crowd when it eventually grew thicker. Derek caught a glimpse of Boyd and Erica also settling to watch a few rows behind them, but there was no way they would manage to make a way through to reach the rest of them. Turning back to the show, he watched people set up poles in the center of the circle formed by the public as costumed dancers began slow stretching exercises to the soft sound of music.

“I’ve always wanted to learn pole dance,” he heard Allison say from beside him, though she was probably speaking to Scott. He didn’t answer, taken in by the sight of the dancers climbing onto the poles as the music became more upbeat. Derek didn’t even try to resist the lure of the camera as he put his eye behind the lens and aimed the camera at the show.

The dancers wove their bodies around the pole like it was natural, but try as he might, Derek always seemed to be focused on one in particular. The cause of his fascination was dressed in colours that reminded Derek of fire: all orange and red as he lowered his body parallel to the ground, held only by the strength of his thighs. The seemingly effortless nature of the movement was only accentuated by the wide sleeves of his costume, which almost looked like wings in a way. And just like a bird, that strangely familiar dancer turned and swerved around the pole, only touching the ground for the most fleeting moments before launching himself back in the air again. Derek’s fingers couldn’t move fast enough to capture every nuance of the dancer’s movement, but he didn’t even care at the moment, thrilled as he was to be able to witness such grace.

All too soon, the show ended and Derek came out of his trance, almost disappointed. For some reason, the man’s movement seemed almost familiar in a way, and Derek’s mind was brought back to those few times he’d glimpsed the free runner in the last week.  Could this dancer perhaps be the same person?

Despite his best intentions, Derek couldn’t find it in himself to do anything but watch as the setup was dismantled, dancing bantering quietly as the crowd dispersed, some people offering their congratulations. Derek didn’t know why he was hesitating so much. He was almost sure it was the same person. Surely it wouldn’t be strange if he just happened to ask if the other young man happened to do parkour in his free time as well, would it? Or ask if he would mind having more pictures of him taken?

“Derek, you’re looking particularly murderous right now,” Boyd quietly commented, and Derek jumped slightly at the interruption, though he found himself glad that no one else seemed to have noticed. As calmly as he’d usually bear the teasing, he was simply too nervous for it this time.

 _Breathe,_ he told himself as he forcibly relaxed his expression. _Everything will be so much worse if you stress out right now._

With what he hoped was a welcoming smile, Derek stepped forward, intent on offering his own congratulations to the group, and perhaps even try to talk to the dancer he might have possibly seen before. Unfortunately, he was all too aware of the stares the Pack members who hadn’t left yet were probably directing at his back, which meant that some were bound to witness his no doubt spectacular failure.

One of the dancers frowned at Derek when she noticed his approach, and Derek’s smile gained a nervous edge as he tried to smoothe his expression. This did have the unfortunate side-effect of making him fiddle with his camera, but the woman’s countenance relaxed so he must have done something right for once.

“Stiles, there’s someone for you!” she called out to her friend, and the dancer Derek had been observing walked towards them with a _beaming smile_ , and all of Derek’s words left him.

“Hey, did you enjoy the show?” the dancer – Stiles, Derek mentally corrected – asked as he extended his hand for a shake.

“It was… good,” Derek eventually answered, hands still clenched around his camera even as he mentally berated himself. Good? Couldn’t he have come up with any adjective besides good? He kept staring at the dancer’s – Stiles’s – face, as though hoping for the other to save him from his current disaster.

"Take a picture, it lasts longer,” was his only reply as Stiles retracted his hand, and it was only then that Derek realised he’d been supposed to shake it.

Derek wanted the ground to swallow him in that moment, and could only hope that the rest of the Pack had already left him to suffer alone.

"He did, actually. Several of them,” Jackson’s voice called out, and it was only when the two other dancers  turned to look Jackson’s way that Derek realised they were _also listening in_.

"Jackass!" Erica admonished Lydia’s boyfriend in a less than quiet hiss, before the sound of Scott’s voice rose above the sound of the petty squabble.

“Not in a creepy way, I swear!” the vet-in-training hastened to say as he drew close, bringing the rest of the Pack with him as Derek watched in dawning horror. “He just thinks you’re the best thing that’s been invented since –“

Derek was only saved from what would be sure to be a terrible comparison by Allison dragging Scott away to leave him with Erica, Jackson and Boyd to face Stiles and the only other dancer who’d remained behind while the rest of the troop had left.

“I’m sorry,” Derek tried to apologise. “I was going to ask if you wanted any of the pictures, or if I could use some of them for a project I’m doing…”

The course of the conversation had been completely derailed, and Derek didn’t know how to wrestle it back to its original subject. Stiles didn’t seem too upset however, because he grinned a broad smile and rummaged in his bag for a bit. “No, it’s alright, I get it! I always get sidetracked too, so I feel you, dude.”

He finally got a pen out of his bag, and took Derek’s arm to scribble something on it. Derek barely noticed, train of thought derailed by the feel of Stiles’s warm hand against his wrist, and the smile he was now sure belonged to the same face that had jumped over his head a week prior.

“So I don’t have much time right now, but here’s my number in case you want to contact me about those pictures of yours. Feel free to text or call me whenever, alright?”

Derek was in the middle of a nod, and about to give Stiles one of his own business cards when the quiet dancer next to him finally talked. “Stiles mentioned running over rooftops and playing chase with a scruffy photographer last week. Was it you he was talking about?”

“Kira!”

Stiles’s tone was high and obviously mortified, but Derek could only mentally thank the woman for her comment, because it caused Stiles to flush a deep shade of red and drop his professional composure for a moment. Stiles quickly took Derek’s card and scampered off with Kira in tow, presumably due to embarrassment, but it was too late for Derek.

The realisation hit him when he noticed he was tracing the numbers on his arm with a wandering finger: he was in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Third chapter will be out soon! I'm unfortunately a terrible person who didn't send the last chapter to my beta on time, and she didn't even berate me before telling me she'd read it over post-haste. She doesn't have a tumblr or I'd link you to it so you could tell her how awesome she is, but shoutout to Sophie either way!


End file.
